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Increase Of Direct Debit By British Gas


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Hi all - sorry if there is already a thread for this, but I can't find. Advice please.

I have been a loyal customer of BG for over 17 years - I have paid by DD for over 8 years and prior to 2005, I used to get my money back when I had over paid by DD. I moved in 2005 to a 3 bed house. Since 2005, I get dual fuel from BG.

My DD have increased each quater - In April 2008, I was £40 in debit for gas, so they put my direct debit up by £20, so in September I was £140 in credit. I was also in credit of £50 for electric to them.

I called and argued that they had increased my DD unnessecarily in April, was basically told I am stupid and would be in debit, even with increase of DD by January. Called again in Spetember, when I was £149 in credit & was told the same thing.

My last bill in March, again I am in credit with gas (even though I signed up to fixed term tariff until 2012,in December, which means I am paying more for gas and electric), but I was in debit for electric by £40.

Again spoke to anothe person in BG who has missed their calling in life, ie has Masters and PHD, but working at BG call centre, who told me I was talikng rubbish when I stated that the media had heighlighted energy companies keeping customers money in reserve and earing interest. Well, apear form telling him to kiss my a%%e, I stated I would write to ofgem re their practices. I am peeved off that BG can change my DD when I am £1 in debit - my understanding of paying by DD is that over the year you may be in debit, but will be in credit at the year end. Thats why I signed up for DD.

 

I cannot get a sense of when the year ends for BG.

 

My questions are:

1) Do customers have to be in credit at all times? If I am not in credit my DD is increased, regardless of them knowing I wll use less fuel inthe summer months and will be in credit based on my old DD payment and more recently my fixed term taffif.

 

2) I was advised that as a customer of over a year, my direct debit is reviewed each quater, but if I was new if would be reviewed yearly. Is this correct? It is fair to note that previous to moving my DD was reviewed yearly, but I am not sure if BG have changed their practice - the cretin I spoke to told me OFGEM has advised untility companies to review each quater so there are no big bills for customers at the end of the year.

 

3) Does anyone have a template letter I can write to OFGEN or BG raising

my objections to BGholding my money in resevre for nearly a year and making interest from my money?

 

Any advice anyone has would be gratefull.

Cheers and have a good day!!!

 

 

 

 

mu objections?

4)

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The way I am aware is that they look at your yearly consumption and break it down over 12 payments, therefore in the summer leading up to the winter period, you will/should have built up enough credit to carry you through the winter period. At no point should there be a debit on the account.

 

I have no idea how often BG review their DD, I know that Eon review every spring and will also review the DD quarterly if they see a dramatic change in your consumption based on the previous year.

 

Also, with the interest rate, they are probably making very little at the moment whereas they are most likely giving you a discount for paying by DD which is probably a better interest rate than your bank can give you.

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Vegus, I would put it in writing to the address alanfromderby has posted

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/utilities-gas-electricity-water/197880-british-gas-address-complaints.html

Mention that you are in credit and would like a cheque back for the amount you are in credit for.

.

FSA Waiver on Bank Charges:http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Doing/Regulated/Notify/Waiver/pdf/dir_quart_0709.pdf

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Before the days of the DD myth utility companies used to run 'budget accounts' where your yearly consumption was divided into twelve equal payments. You might owe them a little in the winter or build up some credit through the summer but it all evened out over the year.

 

Anyone who believes they are still operating like this is on a different planet. They now wish you to build up a huge credit through the summer in advance of any usage and will still increase your payments for the winter months. No matter how much of your money they hold it's a fight to get it back. It took me months to get over £800 back from BG for an elderly relative and get the DD reduced from £127 to just over £30! That £800 wasn't all they had - only the amount I could eventually get back from them.

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